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La Constantin Celebrated Crimes
La Constantin Celebrated Crimes

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of La Constantin Celebrated Crimes is here in full — 235 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/47 · 5 lines
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In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.
It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.
Its rich interior decorations had lost their splendour and become antiquated.
Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.
Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

La Constantin Celebrated Crimes

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of La Constantin Celebrated Crimes is here in full — 235 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/47 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.
Line 2
It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.
/ɪt wɑːz æt ðɪs ˈpɪriəd ɪf nɑːt ɪn ˈruːənz æt liːst bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ tuː ʃoʊ ðə ˈrævɪdʒɪz ʌv taɪm/
Line 3
Its rich interior decorations had lost their splendour and become antiquated.
Line 4
Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.
Line 5
Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

antiquated adjective US /ˈæntəkweɪtɪd/

so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period

From this reading “Its rich interior decorations had lost their splendour and become antiquated.”

decorations noun US /ˌdekərˈeɪʃənz/

plural of “decoration” — something used to beautify

From this reading “Its rich interior decorations had lost their splendour and become antiquated.”

enticed verb US /ɪnˈtaɪst/

past form of “entice” — provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion

From this reading “Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.”

libertines noun US /ˈlɪbərtiːnz/

plural of “libertine” — a dissolute person; usually a man who is morally unrestrained

From this reading “Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.”

profligate noun US /ˈprɔːflɪɡeɪt/

a dissolute man in fashionable society

From this reading “Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.”

rakes noun US /reɪks/

plural of “rake” — a dissolute man in fashionable society

From this reading “Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.”

ravages noun US /ˈrævɪdʒɪz/

plural of “ravage” — (usually plural) a destructive action

From this reading “It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.”

residing verb US /rɪˈzaɪdɪŋ/

-ing form of “reside” — make one's home in a particular place or community

From this reading “Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.”

All words in this reading · 94

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

1658

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

abodenounUS /əˈboʊd/

any address at which you dwell more than temporarily

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

antiquatedadjectiveUS /ˈæntəkweɪtɪd/

so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period

From this reading Its rich interior decorations had lost their splendour and become antiquated.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

Augustins

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

beautiesnounUS /ˈbjuːtiz/

plural of “beauty” — the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

becomeverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading Its rich interior decorations had lost their splendour and become antiquated.

beginningnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/

the event consisting of the start of something

From this reading It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

boughtverbUS /bɑːt/

inflected form of “buy” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

celebratedadjectiveUS /ˈseləbreɪtɪd/

widely known and esteemed

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

cornernounUS /ˈkɔːrnər/

a place off to the side of an area

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

d'Etampes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

decorationsnounUS /ˌdekərˈeɪʃənz/

plural of “decoration” — something used to beautify

From this reading Its rich interior decorations had lost their splendour and become antiquated.

desnounUS /des/

a potent estrogen used in medicine and in feed for livestock and poultry

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

Duchesse

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

dweltverbUS /dwelt/

inflected form of “dwell” — think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

enticedverbUS /ɪnˈtaɪst/

past form of “entice” — provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

FashionnounUS /ˈfæʃən/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

fittedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪtəd/

being the right size and shape to fit as desired

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

Francis

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

Git-le-Coeur

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

hummingnounUS /ˈhʌmɪŋ/

a humming noise

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

Hurepoix

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

interioradjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɪriər/

situated within or suitable for inside a building

From this reading Its rich interior decorations had lost their splendour and become antiquated.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.

ItsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Its rich interior decorations had lost their splendour and become antiquated.

king'snounUS /kɪŋz/

possessive form of “king” — a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

latteradjectiveUS /ˈlætər/

referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

LenounUS /lə/

a chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints)

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.

libertinesnounUS /ˈlɪbərtiːnz/

plural of “libertine” — a dissolute person; usually a man who is morally unrestrained

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading Its rich interior decorations had lost their splendour and become antiquated.

mansionnounUS /ˈmænʃən/

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

Marais

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

mistressnounUS /ˈmɪstrəs/

an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

occupiedadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪd/

held or filled or in use

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

periodnounUS /ˈpɪriəd/

an amount of time

From this reading It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.

PlacenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

Pont

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

profligatenounUS /ˈprɔːflɪɡeɪt/

a dissolute man in fashionable society

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

Quai

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

quarternounUS /ˈkwɔːrtər/

one of four equal parts

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

rakesnounUS /reɪks/

plural of “rake” — a dissolute man in fashionable society

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

ravagesnounUS /ˈrævɪdʒɪz/

plural of “ravage” — (usually plural) a destructive action

From this reading It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.

residingverbUS /rɪˈzaɪdɪŋ/

-ing form of “reside” — make one's home in a particular place or community

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

richadjectiveUS /rɪtʃ/

possessing material wealth

From this reading Its rich interior decorations had lost their splendour and become antiquated.

Royale

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

ruinsnounUS /ˈruːənz/

plural of “ruin” — an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction

From this reading It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.

Saint-Michel

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

showverbUS /ʃoʊ/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.

sitenounUS /saɪt/

the piece of land on which something is located (or is to be located)

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

splendournoun

a quality that outshines the usual

From this reading Its rich interior decorations had lost their splendour and become antiquated.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

streetsnounUS /striːts/

plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

swarmnounUS /swɔːrm/

a moving crowd

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Its rich interior decorations had lost their splendour and become antiquated.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.

thitheradverbUS /ˈðɪθɜːr/

an old word meaning “to that place”

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was at this period if not in ruins at least beginning to show the ravages of time.

wherein

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading In 1658, at the corner of the streets Git-le-Coeur and Le Hurepoix (the site of the latter being now occupied by the Quai des Augustins as far as Pont Saint-Michel), stood the great mansion which Francis I had bought and fitted up for the Duchesse d'Etampes.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Not one of them all would have thought of residing in the mansion, or even in the quarter, wherein the king's mistress had once dwelt.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Fashion had taken up its abode in the Marais, near the Place Royale, and it was thither that profligate women and celebrated beauties now enticed the humming swarm of old rakes and young libertines.

Chapter 2 of La Constantin Celebrated Crimes by Alexandre Dumas holds 235 sentences, grouped into 47 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 2 of La Constantin Celebrated Crimes contain?

Chapter 2 holds 235 sentences of La Constantin Celebrated Crimes, unabridged, divided into 47 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of La Constantin Celebrated Crimes by Alexandre Dumas exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 235 sentences, grouped into 47 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 2 of La Constantin Celebrated Crimes?

Work through the 47 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 47 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading La Constantin Celebrated Crimes

Common questions about reading La Constantin Celebrated Crimes by Alexandre Dumas on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of La Constantin Celebrated Crimes?

Yes. All 1275 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2749 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of La Constantin Celebrated Crimes is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2749, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does La Constantin Celebrated Crimes take to read?

About 106 minutes of reading across 255 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read La Constantin Celebrated Crimes section by section

How to work through La Constantin Celebrated Crimes section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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Vocabulary met early in La Constantin Celebrated Crimes

Words and structures a reader meets early in La Constantin Celebrated Crimes, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Beginning
A word that appears in the opening chapter of La Constantin Celebrated Crimes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Story
A word that appears in the opening chapter of La Constantin Celebrated Crimes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Reader
A word that appears in the opening chapter of La Constantin Celebrated Crimes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Worth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of La Constantin Celebrated Crimes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.